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Final plat for latest West Ridge phase on Tuesday’s agenda; phase includes 18 lots and two-unit townhomes

Another phase of West Ridge Addition is set for final approval from the City Commission during their Jan. 2 meeting.

The 4.9 acre parcel is around 2nd Street Northeast and Choteau Avenue Northeast and is phase eight of the development. This phase includes 18 lots and two-unit townhomes.

In August 2015, the commission approved annexation of the property and assigned R-3 single-family high density zoning. During that meeting, two people spoke in opposition. The West Ridge development neighbors the Thaniel Addition that included self-help build homes through NeighborWorks Great Falls and drew strong opposition from area residents. One of those speaking in opposition of annexation for West Ridge Phase 8 gave a home address for a home that was built in 2014 in West Ridge Phase 6.

In February 2017, the commission approved a rezone of the property to Planned Unit Development to allow for two-unit townhomes and single-family homes. The developer, S & L Development, filed for an 18-lot preliminary subdivision plat to develop phase 8. That plat was approved by the planning board in October and the commission in November. This phase will also involve dedication of two public streets, Choteau Avenue Northeast and 2nd Street Northeast.

S & L is now requesting final subdivision approval in order to sell the 18 lots and initiate the construction process. The lots of the proposed final plat for the western portion of phase eight range in size from 8,385 to 8,439 square feet. The phase also includes two single family lots that are about 11,000 square feet to the east of 2nd Street Northeast.

The developer has connected the new phase to existing city roadways by extending 2nd Street Northeast to the limits of phase eight and dedicating Choteau Avenue Northeast as part of the phase.

Staff has recommended a temporary gravel cul-de-sac turnaround at the west end of Choteau Avenue for public safety access.

Boulevard style sidewalks will be constructed along each lot frontage at the time of home construction and it will connect to the existing sidewalk network. No changes to the road or sidewalk network are being proposed with this application.

According to city staff, this phase won’t have a significant impact on traffic in the area or the existing transportation network.

On-site utility improvements include water, sanitary sewer and stormwater management. The developer will install them at their own expense and in accordance with code requirements and the already adopted improvement agreement.

The West Ridge developer has worked with the city public works and planning departments and the owner of Thaniel Addition for the general location of a future regional stormwater management facility immediately north on the adjacent property. That project is in the early design phase, according to city engineering.

Until that facility is constructed, the developer must provide temporary stormwater management facilities and begin installation of a piped storm drainage system with this phase.

Neighborhood Council 3 voted in favor of the project during their Sept. 7 meeting.

Since the property has already been annexed, services are already being provided and the cost of infrastructure improvements is being paid by the developer, city staff wrote in their report that construction on the new lots will increase the city’s tax base and increase tax revenue for those services.